Observance of the Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper will be observed in both morning worship services this Sunday, June 4.
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A biblical discipleship journey equipping parents to engage their children in biblical truth.
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
God made people.
Teach
Maintain close proximity, stay at eye level, show enthusiasm, and incorporate movement whenever possible.
Question 1 “Johnny, who made you? God made YOU!”
(Pause after answering “God made…” then point to or pick up your child with enthusiasm and say “YOU!!” Add the names of family members close by.)
Question 2 “Johnny, who does God love? God LOVES you!
(State “LOVES!” with excitement paired with a hug and add on the names of family members close by.)
Discussion Questions
Review and repeat the two questions to reiterate the truth to your younger preschooler that God made them and He loves them.
Play
Peekaboo, God made you!
Similar to peek-a-boo, hold a blanket in between you and your child and ask “Who made you?” Pulling it away say “God made you!”
Sing
Live it Out
Carrying over from the peek-a-boo game, tell your child “God made you and He loves you! God gave me you and I love you!” Throughout the week, play the peek-a-boo game to remind your child that God created them and He loves them.
Closing Prayer
God thank you for making Johnny. God thank you for making our family. Thank you for loving us and making us special.
Theme Verse
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” Genesis 1:26
Objective
God created people able to make choices.
Teach
Do you like to make choices? What is the hardest choice you have ever made?
The Bible tells us, in Genesis 1:26, “…Let us make man in our image.” God made the first man from the dust of the ground. Can you imagine going outside, digging up some dirt, and shaping it like a man?
God took that dirt man and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. That man became a living person. God named the man Adam. He made Adam different from the animals, and God gave Adam the job to name all the animals. How would you have liked to choose the name for each animal? Later, God performed the first operation on man. After putting Adam to sleep, God opened Adam’s side and took out a rib. Then, God closed Adam’s side, and God made the first woman from that rib. God placed the man and the woman in a beautiful garden named Eden. They were to take care of it.
God loved them very much and wanted them to love Him, too. Every day, God would spend time with them. What do you think they talked about? (Allow the children to suggest things they may have said or asked.) God wanted Adam and Eve to choose to love Him, spend time with Him, and obey Him. This is very important to God. Do you spend time talking to God each day?
Do you take time to learn your Bible verses? Our verse this week is Genesis 1:26, “…Let us make man in our image.” (Repeat the Bible verse several times by having your child(ren) stand, jump in place, hop around the table, crawl under/around the table while saying the verse.)
Discussion Questions
Play
Play the game “This or That.” Make a choice between two items. Here are some examples:
Sing
Live it Out
Today, we learned God made man and woman. He gave them choices. God wanted them to choose to love Him, spend time with Him, and obey Him. How do you think we can do this? (Allow your child(ren) to give suggestions.) Answers could include:
Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for making us and giving us a choice. May we always choose to love You, spend time with You, and obey You. Help us to always make the right choice.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen!
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
God created everyone to be like Him and have a relationship with Him.
Teach
When you go to the zoo, can you talk with any of the animals? Can you ask them what their favorite color or their favorite food is? It would be hard to do this with zoo animals because they cannot talk or think like us. God made us special from the rest of creation.
The Bible tells us after God created all the animals, God took some dirt from the ground and used it to create man, who He named Adam. God gave Adam responsibility over the entire garden of Eden. It was Adam’s job to take care of it all, but God decided Adam could not do it alone. So, God created a woman, named Eve, to be Adam’s helper.
God did not create us to be like animals. He created us to be like Him and have a relationship with Him. God created humans differently from all the other living things on the earth, so we could talk to Him. God wants us to know Him and spend time with Him. God cares more about having a relationship with us than anything else He created. We are the only living thing made to be like God. Let’s take time now to pray and thank God for creating us and wanting a relationship with us.
Discussion Questions
Play
God created people to be like Him: special, unique, and different from the rest of creation. What are some things we can do other parts of creation cannot do? I’m thankful God gave us the many special abilities we have.
Sing
Live it Out
Explain to your kids the word “relationship.” Relationships have to do with how people are connected to one another. Ask them throughout the week about the people they have relationships with, like their parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, and so on. Adam and Eve could have a relationship with God where they could see and walk with Him. Even though we cannot see God, we can still have a relationship with Him by praying, obeying Him, reading the Bible, worshiping Him, and serving others.
Closing Prayer
God thank you for making Johnny. God thank you for making our family. Thank you for loving us and making us special.
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
God created people in His image.
Teach
What are some of the most popular animals at the zoo? Is it the lion and tiger exhibit where we marvel at the powerful and majestic cats? The fun and games of the monkeys? Which is your favorite? We love to enjoy the unique abilities of these animals. In all of creation, God made people to be unique as well. Humans are set apart as special from the rest of God’s creation. The Bible says God skillfully formed people and patterned us after Him. God gives people the ability to think, feel, and make choices. Those are just a few ways we are different from the rest of creation. People have the ability to understand right and wrong. People can also choose to love and obey God, and He wants us to have a relationship with Him.
Discussion Question(s)
Play
“Special Choices”
God created people in His own image. Making choices is one of the ways we are like God. Give your child two choices and have them pick a favorite or preference.
Examples: chocolate or vanilla ice cream; dog or cat; play outside or inside, etc.
Sing
Live it Out
Help your child remember the specialness of people this week. Ask them to notice the special things about people they see and to remember God made that person special.
Closing Prayer
God, thank You for making people special and allowing us to have choices. Help us this week to choose to be obedient to You.
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
God created people in His image.
Teach
The Bible reveals many characteristics of God. To name a few, God is patient, kind, and loving. We see God’s patience with the Israelites as they grumbled in the wilderness, with the scoffers who rejected and ridiculed Jesus, and ultimately with mankind as He waits patiently, desiring all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). We see God’s kindness in His gift of creation with its magnificence and beauty, His sparing of the evilest of kings and nations once they repented, and His compassion toward His people, despite their repeated disobedience to His commands. God’s love is evident as He continually provides for and protects His people and, ultimately, as He sacrifices His only Son to provide the way of salvation for sinful people. Since we are made in God’s image, we can portray these same characteristics.
We should demonstrate patience with others by giving second chances, by being gentle, and by being willing to listen and talk through disagreements (James 1:19). We should show kindness to others by treating them the way we want to be treated (Luke 6:31), forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32), and humbly considering others as more important than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). We should love everyone, even our enemies, because God first loved us (1 John 4:9). Humble, steadfast, sacrificial love will show the world that we belong to God (John 13:35). Because we are made in God’s image, our actions and attitudes toward others should reflect the attributes of God.
Discussion Question(s)
Play
Play a simple game of “Simon Says.” After you play, connect the idea of mimicking “Simon” to how we should mimic God’s character in our actions toward others.
Sing
Live it Out
Help your child remember the specialness of people this week. Ask them to notice the special things about people they see and to remember God made that person special.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, thank You for Your creation. Help me to appreciate Your glory in all of creation. Forgive me in the moments when I have made it all about me. I truly desire to make You known to those around me and to walk in obedience according to Your plan for my life. Help me to have compassion for other people this week. Amen.
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
Creation testifies as to the existence of God, and people are without excuse for their disbelief and disobedience.
Teach
Have you ever made it a priority to take a break from the business of life and just pause for a moment? Take a deep breath and be still. Now, reflect on all the incredible creations all around you!
Look around the table, look throughout the house, look outside, or look at your pet. All of creation is full of unique qualities that reflect the fingerprint of God. Let’s go one step further; look at yourself. Have you ever examined the many details and designs that go into creating a person? I think we can all agree feet are funny (and smelly, but they are still part of God’s creation to make you, you!) Isn’t it unique how you can think in your mind “grab the spoon” and immediately your hand obeys? If you really want to be blown away, do a quick study on the eyeball and how it functions in such a miraculous way.
Read Genesis 1:26. It teaches us not only about God’s incredible hand in all of creation, but also His detailed design in creating you. As we see God’s fingerprint in ourselves and in our surroundings, we should believe God is the Creator. He is worthy to be worshiped and obeyed.
Discussion Question(s)
Play
Someone needs to leave the room for a little game. Take all the items and food at the dinner table (after you’ve finished eating) and let each person create something fun on a plate. Once everyone’s artwork is completed, let the person who left the room guess who made each creation!
Sing
Live it Out
God demonstrated His love and power through creation. He has given us authority to rule over and enjoy it. We can live this truth out by being kind to those around us. Slow down and reflect on the Lord when you see a sunset or enjoy the spring colors. In the moments when you see bullying or oppression, speak up. Give out compliments like a grandpa standing at the back of the church handing out mints!
Closing Prayer
Dear God, thank You for Your creation. Help me to be faithful to reflect on Your glory in all of creation. Forgive me in the moments when I have made it all about me. I truly desire to make You known to those around me and to walk in obedience according to Your plan for my life. Amen.
Theme Verse
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Objective
Creation testifies to the existence of God, and because His power and nature are understood through what He has made, people are without excuse for their disbelief and disobedience.
Teach
Have you ever thought about why God created the heavens and the earth? What is our role in all creation?
Let’s take a minute and read this week’s key verse: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
God is the Creator and has the authority to rule over us. Look around our world today and see the hand of God in creation. It didn’t just evolve or mutate into what we experience. It’s started somewhere. In this passage, we see a big truth. God is the Creator of mankind, and His creation testifies to His existence. You and I are His creation above all created things, prized and cherished. We are also made in His image, which simply means as you look at mankind, you are looking at a reflection of God Himself.
Think about it, how we interact with creation is a direct reflection of God’s interaction with mankind. Just as God created and filled the earth, we too are to be fruitful and multiply. Just as God brought order in the middle of chaos, we too are to subdue the earth and to rule over creation. God has given us the authority and privilege of enjoying all He has created. He has entrusted us with the power to enjoy creation and for creation to benefit our lives. Ultimately, all of creation and our interaction with it glorifies God.
God is calling us to be good stewards of creation. We have the privilege of displaying God’s glory and honoring Him every single day by enjoying His creation and interacting with it. Whether you are enjoying the sunset or being kind to your neighbor, all things can reflect God’s glory. So, let’s make every effort to make the most of glorifying the Lord today.
Discussion Questions
Play
Around the table, share three valuable characteristics about each member of your family. As you do so, think about how this is a way of reflecting God and interacting with creation.
Sing
Live it Out
God demonstrated His love and power through creation. He has given us authority to rule over and enjoy it. We can live this truth out by being kind to those around us. Slow down and reflect on the Lord when you see a sunset or enjoy the spring colors. In the moments when you see bullying or oppression, speak up. Give out compliments like a grandpa standing at the back of the church handing out mints!
Closing Prayer
Dear God, thank You for Your creation. May You find me faithful to reflect Your glory in all of creation. Forgive me in the moments when I have made it all about me. I truly desire to make You known to those around me and to walk in obedience according to Your plan for my life. Amen.